Celebrating years of preparation, finely curating a meaningful project intent on making an impact on music, Sean Thomas as &friends releases the inaugural single of the passion project he is bringing to life. “Gbagbe e” feat. Oluwadamvic is the inaugural release via Sean Thomas’ newly minted Hidden Hands imprint.
Featuring vocal contributions from West African native collaborator Oluwadamvic, “Gbagbe e,” is a flourishing composure of globally inspired house music. With the title’s meaning stemming from the tribal language of the Yoruba People, the ethos of the track embodies the sentiment of “Letting Go” through its expertly crafted, dynamic, and driving production.
The inaugural release celebrates the start of a journey filled with intention and care from &friends. The launch comes alongside the debut of Sean Thomas’s own record imprint Hidden Hands, which will house both his own releases and those of his colleagues and collaborators he aims to put into the spotlight. “I’m passionate about being able to help uplift artists that have exceptional stories but are unheard, amplifying them from the background,” Thomas shares.
&friends is the musical concept and brainchild of New York-based Sean Thomas. Drawing the breadth of his inspiration for these musical works from the African Diaspora, Thomas had a vision to create a project embodying tradition, culture, and community culminating in the coining of &friends.
Through a journey fueled by passion, determination, and drive, Sean Thomas set out to foster meaningful connections – first with his best friend and music producer, Michael Scheinker, as well as with creators all over the continent of Africa. Through a thoughtfully produced and artfully composed compilation of works, &friends is set to make an impact on the music community through a holistic, multifaceted approach; and further the mission that sound unites us all from every corner of the globe.
Exacting on the project’s mission to give back to and amplify the voices of a global community, 10% of proceeds from streaming royalties accumulated across &friends releases will be donated to Uganda-based charitable foundation Masaka Kids Africana. Empowering local cultures and giving back to the homes of the voices his music celebrates, &friends intention goes beyond the music it releases.
With new music prepared for release across the rest of 2022 and beyond, “Gbagbe e,” feat. Oluwadamvic is just the first insight into the bright future ahead of &friends.
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